Capital University has always had a rather large and well-equipped music department; however, the experience of studying and going to class may not equate to actually going out and making music out of passion. So, there are some students at Capital that have taken a more independent approach.
The bands 99 Horizons and Noise Control have started to gain recognition in Columbus. They both performed at The Basement in downtown Columbus on Saturday night, Jan. 22, as well as other performances in previous weeks and months.
99 Horizons is composed of two Capital students: the lead singer Jack Babel, a third-year music technology major; the bassist Zach Basselman, a third-year student majoring in Political Science, Philosophy, and minoring in Journalism; and the drummer Joey McManus, a third-year student at Columbus College of Art and Design majoring in film and video.
It started after a band Babel and McManus formed in high school lost its spark and fell apart, once various members moved away to go to college. So, they decided to start from scratch.
Babel described the best part of being in 99 Horizons is the chance to perform in front of a crowd.
“The best part is being able to perform. I think any musician will admit getting up on stage performing in front of people, it is like you feel like you are in another world,” Babel said. “It is amazing…musicians compare playing a gig to having sex– you talk more about doing it than actually doing it.”
The other band, Noise Control, originally started with just the bassist, Ivan, and the lead guitarist, Kenny, neither of which go to Capital. The pair had been recording at Blackmoon recording for a while, when they met Cam Howard, the now drummer for Noise Control and a third-year student majoring in music tech.
One thing led to another, and soon enough, Howard successfully auditioned for the band and got the role of drummer.
“[The best part of being in Noise Control is that] everyone is very focused on literally having fun playing music and that is the only target…90% of the time [other bands] do not check their egos at the door, so everyone is taking themselves too seriously,” Howard said. “The worst part is…having to move gear in and out of tiny venues in the freezing cold.”
Getting the gig at The Basement (Noise Control’s third show and 99 Horizon’s second) was not the easiest process in the world for either band. Frankie Soleil was the headliner, and the guitarist/producer for her band also plays guitar for Noise Control on occasion, which is how Noise Control was able to open for Soleil.
Now, Babel and Howard are friends, and when word got out that there was another slot for an opening for Frankie Soleil. Howard vouched for Babel and the powers that be gave the green light for 99 Horizons to perform, as well.
Projects that are in the works for 99 Horizons include their first EP and trying to perform at as many shows as possible. Noise Control has plans to record new music beginning in February 2022 and potentially performing in Nashville on March 4.
